African Cosmos: Stellar Arts

This first major exhibition of some 90 objects explores how the celestial bodies of the sun, moon, and stars and such celestial phenomena as rainbows and eclipses serve as sources of inspiration in the creation of African art, both traditional and contemporary. Far from abstract, African ideas about the universe are intensely personal and place human beings in relationships with the earth, sky, and celestial bodies. Objects on view include a mummy board, videos, masks, and sculptures. Also visit the discovery room after exiting the exhibition on sublevel 2.